What Took You So Long?"
by The Immaterial Girl
Summary: Jennifer Dunne and Trowa Barton, Lovers. Ha! Not even in same sentence does it sound right. Jennifer, with her propensity for fun, games, and fashion, and Trowa, with his war-hero solemnity and mysterious intrepidity—a bonafide couple? Yeah. Right. Look
1. "What Took You So Long?" Prologue

"What Took You So Long?"

Part One

Jenny-chan and Trowa-san

By Dennie-chan

Prologue

The sailor suit was torn at the seams. The indigo bow drooped sadly as the bearer flickered in between consciousness and unconsciousness. Her hands clutched the dirt as if it were going to help her hold on for dear life, and her blue eyes searched for her cousins, wondering if anything had happened to them….if….they…were….dead….

"Ita-chan!" yelled a faraway voice. "Ita-chan—wake up!"

She groaned softly and attempted to move. Blood stained her sailor suit pink. The voices kept coming. From her point of view, it sounded like Sailor Sunfire and Neo-Queen Serenity. She figured they'd be worried about her, but she just couldn't bring herself to get up….

"Ita-ojosama."

The voice sparked a feeling of tenderness inside her. She suddenly remembered, as if on the brink of death, the rush of memories of her true love. Head turning toward the sound of his voice, she saw that he was lying in the dirt beside her. His brown hair was adorned with dust and mud, but his green eyes were shining with vitality. His expression was filled with pain. Her eyes filled with elephant tears.

"Isidore?" she whispered, barely able to manage between her dry, cracked lips.

The face softened. "Itazura." Simple. Lovingly. Her heart suddenly ached with regret. She wanted to so badly to ease his pain…

"You're hurt," she said. "I need to get you out of here…."

Isidore laughed, a mirthless laugh that seemed to scrape the bottom of his throat. "You actually think that you can pick yourself to get us both out of here?"

He was right. She could barely lift herself up, never mind trying to help him.

"We can't stay here," Isidore told her. "We must go or we will die."

Itazura gulped. She strained with all of her muscles and managed to bring herself to her elbows. "We can….get out of here….I'll make sure of it…"

"Ita!" he exclaimed in anguish. "You can't do this on your own! You're…." He paused as a solitary tear ran down his face. "You're dying. We're both dying, Ita-chan."

She struggled with the realization that she might die soon. Dying meant no more jokes, no more parties, no more pranks on Prince Bennett, no more pretty dresses and lavish foods….and….no more Isidore. No more of this short-lived though strong love. Her lungs couldn't get enough air. She gasped, coughed, and sobbed at the same time. The desolate feeling was broken however when Isidore took her cold hand.

"The past will be ours, Ita-chan."


	2. "What Took You So Long?" Chapter One

"What Took You So Long?" Part One:

Jenny-chan and Trowa-san

Chapter One

Steppin' in the Walk of Life

The pancakes were inedible, and that was putting it nicely. But somehow, the three guys and five girls stuffed their mouths with the choke-inducing concoction. It had some semblance to rubber, and they were all sure that it was made of rubber. Now that they all thought about it, being on the same wavelength, the cook had spent a lot of time near the cars outside….

"Angelica-chan," began the oldest and wisest in the room wearing an expression of pure disgust. "What did you put in these pancakes?"

The brown-haired beauty, who was donning a dusty apron and a frying pan (probably to inflict bodily harm upon anyone who tried to insult her cooking), grinned at her big sister. "Pancake mix," she replied in her bright British accent, "and water. I just did what the box told me to!"

"Are you sure it was just pancake mix?" asked Brian Hubert. "Because this—"

Before Brian could finish, the five girls cast venomous glares upon him that would have blew him to pieces if looks could kill. He blushed sheepishly as the other two guys winced behind their forks.

"—Tastes very good," Brian finished, trying not to buckle under the glares of the girls.

Angelia Buchannan, who had been sitting beside poor Brian, pushed her plate away and looked at Angelica apologetically. "Well, sorry love, but I have got get running. Cool 'n' Trendy has to open in half an hour and guess who's opening today?"

Angelica seemed to fall for it, hook, like sinker. "Oh, that's too bad," she mused. Suddenly, she grinned. "I can just save it so you can eat it later!"

The whole table groaned. Angelia sweatdropped appropriately, her gray eyes cast downward, and Brian rubbed her shoulder.

"Too bad you couldn't get out of that one, Angelia-san," whispered Duo Maxwell from beside Brian. 

"It was worth a good try though, mate," Angelia whispered back.

"What's the ruckus about?"

Fresh-skinned, blond-haired, blue-eyes Jennifer Dunne stepped into the kitchen with her cousin in tow, who was wild in a leopard print shirt and leather pants. It was Gretchen that had spoken obviously, because Jennifer was laughing behind her perfectly manicured hand.

"You wanna try a plate of Angelica's lovely pancakes?" inquired Minako Aino with a sly note in her voice.

"Yeah, they're really good," Brian lied like some used car salesman.

Gretchen raised an eyebrow. There was no way that she'd put that junk in her mouth—especially if Usagi, who was looking forlorn from hunger, wasn't going to eat it.

"I already ate," she fibbed, smiling with fabricated embarrassment. She turned questionably to Jennifer to confirm this. "Right, Jen?"

Jennifer smirked but quickly hid it before little Angelica got wise to the scheme. Angelica was not stupid and nor was she slow, but she was oblivious to this one. "Yeah. Right, Gretch."

***

"I am never eating pancakes again!" declared Brian as he, Quatre, Duo, Minako, Gretchen, and Jennifer had somehow escaped the kitchen with breakfast still in their stomachs. Jessica, Gretchen's big sister, Angelia, Usagi, and Evangelina, aka Lina-chan, skipped off to do their newly created job of cleaning out the garage. Jennifer opened the door to the patio as everyone followed behind her. The sun beat down on them like some white trailer trash from the Jerry Springer show.

"Well, let's just make sure Moira makes them," Duo corrected, taking a seat in one of the chaise lounges. He settled back in the seat with his hands behind his hands. "She makes some pretty good pancakes."

Minako smirked. "And just how do you know that? You going through our trash again?"

Duo grinned at Minako. "Yeah. And a few days ago I found your Playgirl magazines." Minako crossed her arms over her chest. "Touché, Aino."

"Oh very funny. I'm sure that's as bad as wiring the cable to get the Playboy channel illegally."

"I have no interest in cheap sex, Minako."

Minako snickered. "Well, you watch the original movies then."

"Hey," Jennifer joked. "This isn't Lifetime."

"And thank God," muttered Duo.

Sitting on the edge of the pool, Brian pretended to look offended and gave them all a look. "Hey. I happen to like those movies, okay? That's just _the way I am._"

The patio broke out into laughter. They knew Brian was kidding again, as was his nature.

"You're such a woman, Brian," commented Gretchen. 

"Damn right!" The girls giggled and Duo's eyes popped open. 

"Hey, we're having a slumber party," Minako told Brian with a hint of mirth. "You coming with?"

Brian shrugged. "Maybe when the Lifetime movie marathon goes off."

"Gee. The people I make friends with," he said wistfully.

"They're a lot like you, Maxwell," Jennifer contended. Duo stared at Jennifer with an impish grin, which meant he really didn't care about the joke and that he'd get her back later—when she'd least expect it. 

Before any of the conversation could ensue any further, Quatre's beeper went off. Quatre groaned, and he reached for it. Looking at the small screen, he frowned as he attempted to figure out what was wrong. 

"Gee. The Winner king goes off running again," Gretchen said lightly, trying to cover her sarcasm. It was quite axiomatic to the others that Gretchen resented Quatre's high status sometimes. Because of jealousy? Not really. Honestly, she wanted to spend more time with him, and it wasn't easy if he was being called off every fifteen seconds…

Quatre noticed her tone. He stared at his lady friend, wishing that he could drop the company right this second. But he couldn't because he was the family patriarch now, since his father had passed some years ago, and he had to keep the family business together. 

"Gretchen, I'm sorry." He touched her arm tenderly and she averted his eyes, disappointed. "I have to go." He smiled as an idea came to him. "You can come with me if you want. I know how much you like hazelnut coffee."

Gretchen's head lifted and she brightened like a light bulb. A wide grin spread across her face. Without words but with a squeal of happiness that had Duo and Brian raising their eyebrows, Gretchen threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. For something so little, it apparently meant so much to her.

"How sweet," Duo murmured.

Jennifer watched this scene with apparent awe. While wistful, she was very happy for her younger cousin as she found love in the shy Quatre Winner. For a fleeting instant, she felt that she too should have this feeling of romantic happiness.

That is, until she realized that there was no one for her at the moment.

Coming Soon:…. "What Took You So Long?" Chapter Two *Intervention is… the Shiznit*


	3. "What Took You So Long?" Chapter Two

****

Notes from the highly esteemed Dennie-chan! (Okay, a slight over-exaggeration):

In this chapter, we find that Trowa smiles a little, he had a bad experience with cornrows, the sorority girls have orgasms thinking about him….and he wears reading glasses!!! (Actually, we find later that they're for posterity, not for vision enhancement. Why would Trowa **need** glasses?) Poor Trowa-san. Too bad Jenny-chan hasn't come along yet… (I see a fight! **Ding!** Right, left, uppercut…Oh man! Sorority girl pops an implant! Man, those stains are hard to get out too. Send her the cleaning bill, dammit!) Sorry about that. Better get on with it then.

The chapter title was a stupid joke to myself, but I wrote it down anyway. What's shiznit? I dunno. I thought it was substitute for another word. If I had used that other word, the chapter title would have read, 'Intervention is…the Sh…' Get the point? I hope so. Sorry about the pop-star bashing (especially if you're a Britney or *NSYNC fan) and valley girl, sorority girl-bashing content of this chapter. (I know all sorority girls aren't shallow and sexually active. Baaaaad stereotype.) It's also very different from most of the GW fics I've read and you've read. But… Enjoy!!

"What Took You So Long?" Part One: Jenny-chan and Trowa-san

By Dennie-chan (He he!)

"What took you so long  
What took you all night  
What took you forever to see I'm right  
You know I treat you so good  
I make you feel fine  
And no I'll never give it up this time  
No, no, no…"

-"What Took You So Long?" 

Emma Bunton

__

A Girl Like Me

Chapter Two

Intervention is…the Shiznit

"Hey yo! Barton! Get yo' butt over here, man!"

Nicole Smith's grating ghetto voice drowned out all thoughts that Trowa Barton was having at that moment. As he looked from his math textbook through his glasses and set his pencil down, he saw the strange couple of Wayne Ferrell and Nicole striding toward him. As if there wasn't already enough misery on the Kaminari University campus…

"What are you doing here all alone?" Nicole asked when abreast of him. Wayne said a breathy goodbye and left a kiss on her neck, leaving them to talk._ Gee. Gone so soon?_

Trowa shrugged. "Just getting calculus out of the way." Quite honestly, he preferred to be on his own. Nicole's buzzing into his business was not pleasing. Sure, living with her had prepared him for her meddling. Of course, that wasn't all it prepared him for. Trowa was sure that if he was dropped down in South Central, he'd be more than just a little ready.

Nicole, who was shaking her head at him with half-amusement, half-consternation, snatched the calculus book from him. "All work and no play make Trowa a very dull boy." Trowa just stared at her as if she had just announced that she was just going to join the Britney Spears Three-Ring Circus—formerly known as her American tour. "Look, Calculus is _not fun_. You need to get up off your toned ass and _have some fun_."

Trowa, being quite used to Nicole's cajoling, kept on staring like she'd grown Willa Ford's head. "Nicole," he said evenly, "I don't feel like hanging out with you and your friends."

Nicole groaned. "Fine. Then chill with me then!"

"Last time that happened, I ended up looking like Justin Timberlake."

Nicole snickered. Their last little roommate get-together ended up in cornrows. Trowa didn't look half bad, but she had embarrassed him. (His hair was also frizzy for a week, and it looked even stranger with his Trowa-'do.) If he did agree, doing hair was out of the question. She'd have to put her brush and straightening comb away for the night. "I told you I was sorry for that."

Of course, it was no surprise that Trowa said nothing. Instead he raised his eyebrows to indicate that he knew Nicole was lying. Knowing that her poor roommate was a lost cause, Nicole gave up and threw the book at him. Trowa caught it as if expecting it. Nicole was not even astonished. It was one of those…Trowa things.

"You know, I'm not going to even try anymore," she told him, hoping he'd care. Unfortunately, he did not. Instead, he just stared at her, expression close to a smile. Close, but not all the way there. That was all Nicole had gotten. Always close, but not close enough. She had learned to expect it, but she was soon tired of Trowa's _Mona Lisa_ half-grin. He actually had nice teeth, ones that even The Rock would wish for, but he never showed them. They were so good that they belonged in a Crest ad. It was such a shame he didn't smile.

"Ohmigod. Is that, like, Trowa Barton from our math class?"

Nicole's jaw clenched. The blood flowed to her head and she felt herself getting annoyed. The chick radar was on and bleeping out slut alerts. She and Trowa shared a knowing look. You know, a look. _That_ look. That oh-my-God-please-get-us-away-from-here-before-those-teenyboppers-get-to-us look.

Genette (she never disclosed a last name, she contended, because all the greats _didn't need_ last names) was the leader of the pack of the man-eating, implant-wearing, as-if-squealing sorority girls that made Kaminari look like a party school. Sure, there were other (wholesome) sororities at Kaminari, but these girls stood out the most. They were your textbook blondes (and not so blondes), and it was a wonder that they had ever made it past the school entrance exams. _Oh. I forgot. Their parents are the patriarchs of this school. Duh, Nicole._

Genette wasn't bad looking, though. She could pass for a model—a Playboy model that is. Nicole wondered why she would be interested in such a smart guy like Trowa Barton. _Oh. There's something else I forgot. Trowa has a kick-ass body, deep voice, and perfect teeth. Just the right thing for an oversexed sorority girl. Duhee, Nicole!_

"Trowa!" squealed Genette. She touched his arm flirtatiously and, all the while, Trowa stared at it as if it were poisonous—or from Oz. "It is so very nice to see you!" She glanced down at the book. "You're still doing your calculus?" She didn't give him time to respond. "That stuff we were doing was so, like, hard! All that concave up, concave down stuff had my head spinning!" _So did the captain of the football team last night._ "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Yeah," added one of her non-blonde Hollywood extras, perfect with hair and makeup. "There a big frat bash tonight."

Nicole could see it now. Trowa, at the frat bash, looking incredulously at the beer-guzzling frat jerks. Garish, fluorescent fliers blaring, 'Frat Party: Tonite! Free Beer!' 

__

Oh lord. It's enough to curdle the stomach.

"You can't be alone tonight," reasoned (if she could reason) one of the other non-blondes—a redhead. "You must have a girlfriend to go home to…."

Trowa paused before speaking. It was quite conspicuous on campus that Trowa Barton was single. Solo. Singleton. Sans a lady friend. Didn't they know that?! Nicole took his hesitation as a sign to intervene...and get those tramps away from her roommate. She felt no remorse over what she was about to do. After all, it was good looking out….right?

Nicole stepped forward and placed a hand on Trowa's broad shoulder protectively. She looked the girls squarely in their eyes as if she wanted a duel. "Gee, nice weather we're having, huh?" 

Ouch. Mental slap. _Nice intro, Nicole. Coulda picked something a little better to say._

Genette regarded the black girl with a fabricated smile. "Nicole! Still recovering from dance class?"

Ooh… Ouch—with a 'damn' this time.

__

That bi-ch. 

It was no secret that Miss Universe Barbie wanted to be a dancer. So did Nicole—on an informal level. But somehow she had gotten into the upper echelon dance classes and danced on a professional level. Seeing that Nicole apparently had more talent, Genette sabotaged it for her—and became the headliner of the Kaminari University dance troupe. What a disgrace.

Nicole mimicked her expression. "Still recovering from the football team?" Under her, Trowa looked rightfully amused. "All twenty-five of them…"

Genette glowered. All of her friends made 'as-if' noises as if she'd insulted them also. If Nicole wasn't so peeved, she would have cracked up over her pout. Trowa, meanwhile, was packing up his stuff and getting ready for an early lunch. Nicole took a swift glance upon his watch face. A very early lunch.

"I do not sleep around with the football team," Genette simpered.

"Yeah!" echoed Hollywood extra girl.

Nicole shook her head and grabbed Trowa's leather backpack. "Tell it to Judge Judy, babe," she told her. She held out her hand to her silent roommate, and he accepted it while climbing to his feet. "C'mon Trowa baby. We gosta do lunch! Don't worry about the bill, cuz I'm paying."

They walked away from the scene, and still Trowa had said nothing. Finally, across the street from Schlotzsky's Deli, Trowa said the one thing that cracked Nicole up. 

"You know, you didn't have to do that. I could have taken care of it myself."

Nicole burst out laughing hysterically. She reached out for her purse as Trowa held the door to the deli open for her. The place was empty, thank God. She didn't feel like dealing with anymore adoring Trowa fans. They were worse than *NSYNC fans at a Backstreet Boys concert. 

"Trowa baby, you have to be a bi-ch to understand a bi-ch," she admitted. "You're a sweet, innocent bystander in these things. If you wanna stay ho-free, then let me so the cleaning."

"Ho-free?"

Nicole grinned and led him to the counter to order their food. "Yeah. Ho-free. At Kaminari, it's fairly easy. Just gotta have the right ammunition." _And an Uzi-toting girlfriend. Too bad you don't have any of those._

Coming Soon.:… "What Took You So Long?" Part One, Chapter Three: 'Oh. No. He. Just. Didn't.'


	4. "What Took You So Long?" Chapter Three

****

The Tiger House: The name for the house that Jennifer, her cousins and sister, and the Inner Sailor Senshi (with the exception of Ami, who lives with Moira) live in together. 

**__**

Eclipse?: Moira bought Duo a car as a thank you for saving her life prior to the beginning of the story. 

__

"Walk of Life" Written by Spice Girls / Watkins / Wilson. B-Side to "Too Much." In the original, it says "London Town" instead of "Tigertown." Wanna hear the song? Go to SpiceZone_ and get the Mp3._

"I Could Fall In Love" performed originally by Selena. (I'm still looking for that CD and the rest of that Mp3. *** sniff * This one's for you, Selena. Rest in peace.**)

Warning! I think Trowa is a bit OOC in this chapter. I don't know; I'm too near it to tell. Feedback! Soulangelchild@yahoo.com

Chapter Three

Oh. No. He. Just. Didn't.

Nightfall brought Nicole and Trowa to the Tiger House. In the driveway were Brian's new Explorer (he hated the Mustang that Jessica and girls had gotten him as a present for his birthday the previous January, so he traded it in for an Explorer), Danie's Sebring convertible, Gretchen's Jeep Wrangler, Duo's new black Eclipse (thanks to Moira), and Jennifer's Sentra. Apparently, Jessica and the triplets (Angelica the cook, and her sisters Angela and Angelique) had skipped out for the night. Nicole noticed Trowa's expression when she parked her Lexus in the driveway.

He looked…enraptured?

"Trowa?"

Trowa broke out of his reverie and turned to look at his friend. He still had his faux glasses on from that afternoon. He looked pretty handsome with them on, Nicole contended. Kind of intelligent and mysterious all at the same time.

Too bad she already had a boyfriend, huh?

"Something wrong?" he wanted to know.

Nicole turned the key in the ignition and turned the car off. "That I'm starting to wonder."

Trowa didn't answer. No surprise there. But this time he was perplexed. The two got out of Nicole's car quietly, Nicole glancing upon Trowa's distracted face. She knew that boy. You just don't live with a person for two years and not know when he was hiding something. Nicole frowned. But, then again, Trowa Barton was always hiding something. 

"Hey, Miss Ghetto Fab!" yelled a masculine voice from the front porch. Nicole didn't have to look to know that was Duo Maxwell, wine cooler and all. He perched upon a beach chair that looked out of place on the Tiger House porch. Nicole laughed when she saw that he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts. _Good ol' Duo Maxwell._

"Nice to see you too, Maxwell," she called back, waving. 

"Hi Trowa!" chorused the girls. Nicole counted them mentally. Seven. Moira, Danie (Moira's quadruplet sister), Gretchen, Jennifer, Mina, Usagi, and little Lina. _I guess Lina skipped the sister-bonding session._

Trowa waved amiably not noticeably embarrassed over the girls' coherence. "Hi, girls," he greeted them. 

The always-stylish Daniella Thomas stepped from the porch to the grass, not one wrinkle or stain on her lavender halter dress. "You want something to eat? Brian's on the patio attempting to grill chicken without burning himself." Her face expressed the fact that she didn't think her boyfriend could do it.

Nicole shook her head, grimacing as Jennifer headed to the house. "I don't like my chicken with burnt Brian chips on them. I'll just make me a drink and be done with it."

Sitting on the bench on the porch beside Quatre, Gretchen snickered. "Trowa's gonna have to be the designated driver."

Nicole blanched. "Trowa is _not_ driving my car."

"Why not?"

"Because I just had it fixed and I'm gonna be the only one to drive it from now on."

They had forgotten Nicole's little scrape some time ago. She had let a friend of hers borrow her car for the day. Fortunately, the Lexus sustained an accident, three car door slams, and a telephone pole. Luckily, Nicole had insurance and promptly got the car fixed—and kicked her friend's ass the next day. Needless to note, Nicole became very protective of her Lexus.

Danie shook her head. "You don't trust your own roommate?"

"I trust Trowa, all right." She looked at her roommate, who was just as curious about her answer as everyone else. "But I don't know how well he drives a car."

Gee. Trowa's motorcycle, perfectly omitted from the conversation. Ever since he had moved in with Nicole, Trowa had been bombarded to get a car. Insisting that it wouldn't do him any good, Trowa turned down Nicole's offer for her old car—for free, no less. Nicole continued to bug him about it, but Trowa was stubborn. A redwood was more likely to budge before he did.

"Well, we can always find out," Duo suggested.

"Nip that in the bud, Maxwell. If we try that, he's driving _your_ car."

Duo raised an eyebrow. Nicole smirked. _There goes that idea…._

The door opened. Jennifer emerged with a tray of drinks. She expertly balanced the tray on her palm like an experienced waitress, giving her friends their beverages with her free hand. 

"Thank you, Jennifer," Quatre said, taking his water with ice.

Gretchen smiled impishly as Jennifer handed the drink. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were a waitress."

Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Me? A waitress?"

"You'd look cute in one of those little skirts," Duo piped up.

"So would you, Maxwell," Mina pointed out, remembering that morning after the rubbery pancake meal. "You have nice legs."

"So does Trowa, I'm sure," Danie teased as she received her water from her cousin. "Imagine our silent, elegant Trowa in a waitress skirt! Ah! Kinky!"

Paying a little too much attention to Danie's words, Jennifer tripped over the top step while trying to give Nicole and Trowa their drinks. The tray went flying, and so did Jennifer. Holding Trowa's drink, she crashed into him, knocking him over and covering him with water. They both fell to the ground with a resounding crash, Jennifer squealing with embarrassment all the way.

"Ouch," Quatre said, wincing.

"Well, I guess she was right when she said she couldn't be a waitress," Duo remarked.

"Ohmigod! Sorry!" Jennifer squeaked. She picked herself off of the ground and brushed herself off. "I'm such a klutz…"

"It's quite alright," Trowa murmured at the exact same instant. "I really didn't like this outfit anyway."

Danie and Gretchen shared a glance. They knew their cousin was never a klutz and knew how to wield a plastic cup on a tray. Something was brewing between those two…

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Gretchen whispered.

Danie nodded. Her amused violet eyes watched the two pick up Trowa's fallen cup and attempt to dry his pants off. She halted to watch for a moment. If you cocked your head a little, it looked kinda…sweet. It almost looked as though as if they were a couple….

This was going to be an interesting night.

***

"Karaoke contest!" bellowed Duo.

The group had wandered in the house at about ten o'clock. Full from chicken (poor Brian didn't burn himself and whipped up something that even Nicole ate) and bored without anything to do, they sat in the den, trying to think of something recreational. So far, the suggestions had been Monopoly, Strip Poker (from Duo, of course), Charades, Spin the Bottle (courtesy of Brian), and Roulette. All duds.

The girls groaned at this suggestion. They could see it now: Duo Maxwell belting out the lyrics to Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" and stripping. They all glanced at each other. Maybe for a bachelorette party, but not for just a little get-together where sexual innuendoes were best avoided. Besides, they didn't want to frighten little Lina. There was no telling what she might see…

"And just who is gonna get up and sing?!" Danie demanded. She sat reclined in the easy chair with _Brian_ in _her_ lap. Weird, but not extraordinary. 

Duo shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll do it if you're chicken."

Uh oh. He said the dreaded 'c' word. Chicken. It was worse than just coming out with the "bawk-bawk" noises. If there was one thing that headstrong Daniella Thomas hated to be called, it was chicken. 

"Well, if that's a challenge, then I'll take you up on it."

Duo grinned. "Fine. Let's get this party started." He regarded the others with a look. "We'll have a contest. Whoever wins…"

Danie, ready for the contest, gently pushed Brian off of her lap and went running for the girls' karaoke machine in Jessica's closet. Gretchen and Moira followed to help, knowing that Danie would scream bloody murder if she broke any nails. 

"So who's going after Danie?" Duo asked the group. 

"I'll go," Jennifer offered boldly. "Besides, I have nothing to lose."

"Except your dignity," Brian joked. The others cracked up into raucous laughter, and Jennifer blushed an embarrassed red. She didn't think she was Christina Aguilera, but she didn't think she was _that_ bad….

"I'm sure Jennifer has a good voice."

Everyone paused. Nicole turned to stare incredulously at her roommate, who had been observing quietly the whole time. She analyzed his expression, but he appeared only to be commenting, not complimenting. Still, the remark had caught both Jennifer and Nicole off guard, more Nicole than Jennifer.

"Thank you, Trowa," Jennifer said quietly. "That was very nice of you."

"I'll go after Jennifer!" Lina exclaimed. The twelve-year-old stood with a flourish. 

Duo patted her on the back. "That's a good Lina." He suddenly looked to Nicole. "Oh, Nicole! You're not going to grace us with your rendition of 'Oops, There Goes My Shirt'?"

Nicole scowled at Duo. If she hadn't any willpower and if Trowa hadn't suddenly given her that it's-definitely-not-worth-it touch on her back, poor Shingami would be hung by the elastic on his boxer shorts. Now that would be entertainment.

Before any of them could answer, Danie—rightfully struggling in her dress, Gretchen, and Moira appeared with the karaoke machine and some CD's. Mina and Usagi grabbed the disks before they could fall onto the floor and break, and Brian and Duo helped the girls plug in the machine. 

"You ready to get mauled, Thomas?"

Danie rolled her eyes while looking through the plethora of music. "Be prepared to eat your words, Maxwell. I'm gonna make Vanilla Ice outta you." She paused for a second to search when suddenly her violet eyes lit up. She held up a CD. "I wanna sing this one!"

"The 'Walk of Life'," Gretchen said. "Very nice choice, sis." Pushing the CD eject button with a finger, she placed the CD in. She gave her older sister the microphone. The music started with sort of a lilting beat. It kinda reminded Jennifer of those old 'I Dream of Jeanie' reruns.

__

"I'm steppin' out into the walk of life  
Hold tight the vibe is right  
Feel the heat that's in the air   
People watchin' everywhere

Rush hour slow it down  
Stop and listen to the summer sound  
Playing in the park and street talkin'  
Tigertown is walkin', walkin' mmm…."

As Danie held the room with her lovely voice and gyrating hips (not to mention the dress), the rest of the room was dancing enthusiastically. Duo grooved with Moira (appropriately), Nicole did her clubbing dance with a laughing Brian, Mina and Usagi shimmied together, Gretchen prodded Quatre into cutting a rug with her, and somehow Jennifer and Lina had gotten Trowa into the song.

"You're not a bad dancer, Trowa," Jennifer told him with a grin. 

Trowa looked up at her. She felt a sudden sensation go down her back that she could not explain. It was like someone had buzzed her with a stun gun but without the intent to kill. "Thank you."

"Yeah!" added Lina. "You must dance a lot to be this good. My sister goes dancing a lot and still isn't as good as you!"

Trowa shared an amused look with Jennifer. Her heart flipped over…and she wasn't sure why. Trowa Barton was just another guy… Nicole's roommate….Quatre's friend… So why was she feeling like she and Trowa just took a run in the grass as if they were in the _Sound of Music_?

"Well, it must be natural or something," Trowa explained to the girl.

__

It must be, Jennifer mused, half-paying attention to the exchange between Lina and Trowa. _All those Smirnoffs I just drank…._

"So what are you gonna sing, Jennifer?" Lina asked.

Jennifer stopped to think. She really didn't want to do a fast song. For some reason that she couldn't decipher, a slow song was more appealing right then.

"You know what, Lina? I don't know. Maybe I'll get up there and just start singing what's in my head."

"What's in your head?" Trowa inquired.

__

Oh you don't wanna know. "I don't know that, either."

__

"The sun is risin' but we haven't slept  
I'm not ready to rest my head yet  
Huddle close till you get no air  
See the crew down Leicester Square

Pub-crawlers more then you  
People watchin' - is it you?   
Jump the bus and sack hoppin'  
London Town is still buzzin'  
Oh it's really buzzin', yeah…"

"Sing that Selena song!" Lina suggested. "It's really pretty and you know all of the words."

Jennifer considered it for a moment. It was an idea. Better than nothing, huh? Besides, it was a pretty song just as Lina said, and 

"Okay. I'll do it."

The song ended. Danie's audience clapped enthusiastically and she somehow did a modest bow in her lavender dress.

"Who's next?" Danie called.

"I am," Jennifer offered. She took the mike from Danie. Gretchen, who had heard the exchange between Lina and Jennifer, popped in Selena's Dreaming of You CD. The room hushed as the song began—and Jennifer hesitantly started to sing.

__

"I could lose my heart tonight

If you don't turn and walk away

'Cause the way I feel I might

Lose control and let you stay

If I could take you in my arms…."

Jennifer's eyes drifted around the room as she sang. Danie and Brian were holding each other in typical fashion. Mina and Usagi were mouthing the words along with her. Gretchen and Quatre, and Moira and Duo were dancing, heads close and eyes shut. Suddenly, her light eyes were cast upon Trowa and Lina. Lina, like Usagi and Mina, was singing along, but Trowa was watching her. His emerald green eyes seemed to electrify her senses, and Jennifer sang the song with more vigor.

__

"….And never let go

I could fall in love with you

I could fall in love with you

I can only wonder how  
touching you would make me feel  
but if I take that chance right now…  
Tomorrow will you want me still?  
So I should keep this to myself  
and never let you know!"

After a while, the song ended. Jennifer stood upon the makeshift stage, shell-shocked at herself. She couldn't believe she had just done that! Latching onto Trowa just because he was single, and cute, and smart, and….and…

Jennifer chastised herself silently. _Bad girl! Bad girl, Jen! Don't have thoughts like that! _She groaned as Duo held up his bottle at her._ I'm never going to drink those things again…._

"Ah!" Duo exclaimed. He released Moira and turned to look at Jennifer. "Looks like we have a definite winner here." 

"Yeah," Danie agreed. "Go, Jen."

"Got some tight pipes there," Nicole commented. "You go on, girl!"

Jennifer smiled, blushing all the while. She bravely snuck at peek at Trowa, who was saying something to Lina. He didn't seem to notice the fact that she was looking at him…

Unfortunately, Duo did.

Jennifer knew the look on his face. It was the Duo-patented I-know-your-secret look. She had gotten used to it over the course of two years. He was quite adept at noticing things at the wrong time—especially with her.

"Gee, Jen. Is it just me or do you have something for our skilled silencer?"

Danie and Gretchen shared another glance. 

Nicole looked at Duo as if he had just admitted that he was a woman. 

Quatre's eyes widened.

Mina and Usagi's mouths dropped open.

Brian and Lina looked astonished.

Jennifer's face fell into a mask of anger. 

__

Oh. No. He. Just. Didn't.

It was on now.

Now that Jennifer's feelings are revealed, will something happen between her and Trowa? Or was it just the Smirnoffs? Coming Soon…. Chapter Four: **Knight in Shining Umbrella**.


End file.
